Maximal aerobic velocity measured by the 5-min running field test on two different fitness level groups

The aim of the study was to verify the validity and the accuracy of the 5-min running field test (5RFT) relatively to the classical treadmill test. Two groups of subjects were tested, the first one being made of sub-elite runners (G1, n = 18) and the second one of athletes of other individual or collective disciplines (G2, n = 23). To check the field technique, maximal aerobic velocity (vamax) and an approached VO2max calculated from vamax during the 5RFT were compared with the corresponding values directly determined during a treadmill test. vamax obtained on treadmill (vamax(t)) or during a 5RFT (vamax(5)) were significantly higher in G1 than in G2 (+3.7 km.h-1 and +3.6 km.h-1 among the test). In each group, the difference between vamax(t) and vamax(5) was not significant (19.4 +/- 1.0 vs 19.5 +/- 0.9 km.h-1 in G1; 15.7 +/- 2.2 vs 15.9 +/- 1.2 km.h-1 in G2). A significant correlation was found between vamax(t) and vamax(5) (slope = 0.92; r = 0.86 in G1; slope = 0.71; r = 0.84 in G2). In each group, the approached VO2max(5) was significantly higher than VO2max(t) (respectively 67.8 +/- 2.9 vs 63.7 +/- 3.5 in G1; 54.8 +/- 3.9 vs 52.0 +/- 3.2 ml.min-1.kg-1 in G2. Weak but significant correlations were found between VO2(t) and vamax(5) (r = 0.69 and r = 0.56 respectively in G1 and G2). In conclusion, the 5RFT allows to measure vamax accurately whatever the physical fitness of the subjects but more closely in runners than in non-runners. The low correlation between VO2max(t) and vamax(5) for both groups indicates that a vamax running field test is specific and cannot evaluate VO2max with reasonable accuracy whatever the group, runners or non-runners.